Kurigram: A talented young student of Kurigram Polytechnic Institute has come up with a novel invention that can put a check on reckless driving on the country’s roads induced by drug or alcohol abuse, and even lack of sleep.

An instant signal will be sent to the car owners or target authorities over phones if the car drivers took spurious drugs and felt sleepy while driving their vehicles, reports the UNB.

Even the car steering has been designed to stop working the moment the hands of any drug-or-alcohol addled individual touches it to try and start the engine.

The brand new technological device ‘Driver anti-sleep and Alcohol Alarm Detect’ will facilitate real-time monitoring.

Sanwar Hossain, son of Abdul Aziz hailing from Dahila Barohatpara in Shibganj upazila of Bogura district and a third-year student of Electronic Technology department of Kurigram Polytechnic Institute, invented the device after conducting a year of experiments.

His invention has already bagged two champion awards this year—one in skill competition held at Kurigram Polytechnic Institute and the other in Rangpur divisional skill competition.

‘I spent my time and passion inventing such a device that will help reduce accidents on roads,’ the inventor said.

‘The curiosity to invent such a device came into my mind thinking of the risks of my father and brother as they have been in the driving profession since my childhood,’ Sanwar added.

According to the inventor, the car’s dashboard will be fitted with an eye-billing object which will detect the face of the driver to assess whether he or she is feeling drowsy or taking alcohol while driving.

The car steering wrapped with magnetic reel and alcoholic sensor will sort out the smell of any particular drug and the circuitry will instantly stop functioning.

At the same time, cautionary alarms will be sent to three mobile phones signed with the system and car control rooms, owners and supervisors who will hopefully be able to make those drivers alert and take necessary actions against them.

‘The system has even the ability to connect distant cars creating hopes for the commuters to reduce road mishaps incurred due to the drivers’ malpractices,’ hopes Shaiduzzaman Rasel, general secretary of Kurigram District Bus and Motor Vehicle Labour Union.

The guide and junior assistant instructor of Sanwar’s department Suman Kumar Saha said Sanwar as well as many other talented students of the institute have shown their keen interest to pursue such inventions if the government and private organisations come forward with sponsorships and due patronage, as they require huge investment.

Deputy Commissioner of the district Sultana Parvin said the number of road accidents will come down if the car owners can use this technology to keep the drivers aware, protecting the lives and goods of the people.